Pour-out fitments



5 pfi- 3%, 3958 H. A. BARNB! msmw POUR-OUT FITMENTS Filed April 9. 1954 POUR-OUT FITMENTS Herbert A. Barnby, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application April 9, 1954, Serial No. 422,048

1 Claim. 01. 21s 31 The present invention is a pour-out fitment designed to facilitate dispensing of liquids from bottles and like containers and for cleanly cutting ofi a flowing stream of liquid incident to uprighting, or partial uprighting, of a container.

An object of my invention is the provision of a pourout fitment which is readily attachable to the neck of a container in such fashion that it does not interfere with the use of a standard height screw closure in sealing the container.

Another object is the provision of a pour-out fitment having a continuous liquid cut-oif ledge entirely around its periphery.

A further object is the provision of a pour-out fitment comprising a ring or collar of elastic material readily attachable to the neck of a bottle or like container and provided with a continuous liquid cut-off ledge about its periphery, such ledge being so shaped and formed of such material, that it may effectively serve as a substitute for the usual liner with which closures ordinarily are provided.

It is also an object of my invention to provide novel and effective means for releasably securing a pour-out fitment to the neck of a bottle or such container.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out in the ensuing claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the device in pouring position;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the specific cross-sectional shape of the pour-out fitment and the means for releasably securing it to the neck of a bottle; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a slightly modified form of fitment in which the cut-01f ledge is positioned to function as a sealing gasket, or ring, for the closure.

In the illustrated embodiments of my invention I have shown same attached to a bottle neck of special design.

As to the container structure, the neck is formed with an external screw thread 11, the upper end of which terminates at the base of a diametrically reduced neck extension 12. This extension 12 (Fig. 4) is formed with an annular radial rib 13, the lower side 14 of which provides an abutment designed for holding engagement with a pour-out fitment as will be explained hereinafter. The upper side 15 of this rib lies in a plane below that of the extreme outer end 16 or rim surface of the neck extension 12. Thus an annular radially outwardly facing wall 17 connects these two surfaces 15 and 16. The upper surface 15 may if desired, slope outwardly and downwardly and be connected to the outer vertical surface of the rib by means of a rounded corner surface 18 of comparatively long radius. Thus, as will be apparent presently, application of the pour-out fitment is greatly facilitated.

nitcd States Patent G ice This pour-out fitment 19 may well be formed of polyethylene or some like elastic material. It is of generally collar-like form and comprises an annular vertical web or band 20, at the outer end of which is a radially outwardly directed cut-off ledge 21 and an oppositely directed flange 22. The outer surfaces of the cut-off ledge 21 and flange are in a common plane with the outer end of the web 20. Moreover, the extreme outer end 16 of the neck extension 12 lies in the plane of said surfaces. Both the cut-off ledge 21 and the flange 22 increase in thickness toward the web 20 and the outer margin 23 of said ledge 21 is formed substantially at a right angle to the outer surface of said ledge. Thus an annular sharp corner is provided to cleanly cut off liquid flow when desired.

Ready attachment of the fitment to the neck extension 12 is facilitated by reason of the upwardly inwardly curved guiding surface 24 on the inner side of said web 20 and the upwardly facing annular shoulder 25 provided at the upper margin of said curved surface 24. This shoulder 25 is so spaced below the flange 22 that when the fitment is in operating position the radial rib 13 is effectively gripped between the shoulder 25 and said inwardly directed flange 22. It will be appreciated in view of the above that the pour-out fitment is applied merely by pressing it downwardly over the neck extension 12 until the shoulder 25 snaps over the radial rib 13. When this position has been attained, the flange 22 will have its outer surface flush with the outer end 16 of the neck extension 12. Tilting of a liquid containing bottle to dispense the contents or any part thereof will result in flow of the liquid over the fitment 19. Incident to uprighting of the bottle the sharp corner at the outer margin of the ledge 21, will cleanly cut off liquid flow and prevent drippageor flow of any of the liquid downwardly over the sides of the bottle neck.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention. The modification consists in inclining outwardly the cut-off ledge 21 so that it performs the threefold function of liquid fiow cut-off, drain-back of liquid to the bottle neck opening following flow cut-off and finally as a sealing gasket incident to firm contact thereof with the inside of a closure gap 26. Thus the customary liner, or gasket, for the cap, is wholly unnecessary. With the exceptions just noted the modified form follows the structure of the preferred form.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In combination a container having an annular wall defining a filling and discharge opening and having a circular rim at the outer end, an annular radial rib formed externally of the wall in proximity to said opening and providing on one side a continuous abutment facing axially away from said opening, that side of the radial rib opposite the abutment being in a plane below said rim and a substantial outer marginal portion of said circular rim being in a plane below that of the remainder of the rim and formed as a radial inward extension of the upper surface of said radial rib, a pour-out fitment formed of resilient thermoplastic material and comprising an annular ring-like body having a continuous internal channel to snugly receive said rib and formed with a tapered guiding surface leading to that wall of the channel in contact with the aforementioned abutment, a radial inwardly directed annular flange forming the other Wall of said channel and extending inwardly in contact with said outer marginal portion of the rim and being of such thickness as not to project axially above the remainder of the rim and a circular cut-off ledge projecting radially outward from the body with an upper surface in the plane 3 of the corresponding surface of the aforementioned 2,240,647 flange. 2,443,086 2,664,230 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,73 6,447

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 302,268 Lothrop July 22, 1884 941 772 2,021,545 Feremutsch Nov. 19, 1935 45 392 2,109,720 Deschmer Mar. 1, 1938 1 0 4 494 2,221,527 Schick Nov. 12, 1940 4 Hartman et a1. May 6, 1941 Turenne June 8, 1948 Heim Dec. 29, 1953 De Brock Feb. 28, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 23, 1948 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1948 France Dec. 23, 1953 

